Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis) Bill 2023 (Vic)
13 December 2024
The ALA made a submission to the Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee in support of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis) Bill 2023 (Vic) (‘Bill’).
The ALA supports a shift in cannabis policy in Victoria from a focus on law enforcement to a health-focused legal response to cannabis possession and use. This is a shift that is supported by many medical and public health experts.
As such, the ALA supports the provisions of this Bill which seek to allow “a person of or over the age of 18 years to possess a small quantity of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol”, and which authorise a person of or over the age of 18 years “to use cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol in a place other than a public place”.
As also identified in our submission, a recent review of the legislation unpinning the 2020 changes in the ACT has affirmed the benefits of moving away from criminalising cannabis and instead diverting public resources to focus on health services, rehabilitation and the underlying causes of substance abuse.
ALA member Greg Barns SC also gave evidence to a public hearing on this matter on behalf of the ALA on Friday, 14 February 2025.
On the 14 October 2025, the Victorian Government published its response to the final report for the Inquiry into the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis) Bill 2023.
The ALA has subsequently signed onto a joint open letter from Legalise Cannabis Victoria advocating for the Government to reverse their approach and decriminalise the use of Cannabis.
Legalise Cannabis Victoria are due to debate their motion in parliament on 19 November 2025.q
ALA submission
Transcript
Response to matters taken on notice
Final Report
Joint Open Letter